Scientists and Scholars

Paul Nelson is a philosopher of biology specializing in evolutionary developmental biology.  He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago and is presently an Adjunct Professor in the M.A. program in Science & Religion at Biola University. He has published articles in several journals including Biology & Philosophy, Bio-Complexity and Zygon.  Paul is a Senior Fellow of the Discovery Institute.

Robert Jastrow (1925-2008) was an American astronomer and physicist. He completed his undergraduate and graduate work at Columbia University, receiving his Ph.D. in theoretical physics in 1948.  Jastrow was the first chairman of NASA’s Lunar Exploration Committee—a group established to determine the exploratory objectives for the Apollo moon landing. He was founder of the George C. Marshall Institute, Director Emeritus of Mt. Wilson Observatory and author of the best selling book God and the Astronomers.

Ann Gauger is a senior research scientist at the Biologic Institute and Director of Science Communication at the Discovery Institute’s Center for Science and Culture.  Her work uses molecular genetics and genomic engineering to study the origin, organization and operation of metabolic pathways.  Gauger received a degree in biology from MIT and a Ph.D. in developmental biology from the University of Washington.  She was also a post-doctoral fellow at Harvard University.  Her research has been published in Nature, Development and the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

William Lane Craig is a philosopher and Christian apologist.  He currently serves as research professor at the Talbot School of Theology/ Biola University.  Craig earned Ph.D.’s in philosophy from the University of Birmingham and the University of Munich.  He is considered one of the foremost Christian philosophers in the world. Craig has written numerous articles for the Discovery Institute’s Center for Science and Culture and worked extensively to define the philosophical and cosmological ways in which the universe is finely tuned for life.

Jay Richards is an Assistant Research Professor at The Catholic University of America, Executive Editor of The Stream anda Senior Fellow of the Discovery Institute.  He has degrees in political Science and Religion, including a M.Div., Th.M., and Ph.D. in philosophy and Religion from Princeton Theological Seminary. Richards has written many academic articles, books and popular essays on a variety of subjects.  His books includeMoney, Greed and God, The Human Advantage and Indivisible.  Richards has also executive produced several documentaries including The Privileged Planet, based on his book with astronomer Guillermo Gonzalez.

Guillermo Gonzalez is an Associate Professor of Physics at Ball St. University.  He received his Ph.D. in Astronomy from the University of Washington.  Gonzalez has received fellowships, grants and awards from NASA, the University of Washington, the Templeton Foundation and the National Science Foundation.

He was extensive experience observing and analyzing data from ground-based observatories including McDonald Observatory, Apache Point Observatory and Cerro Tololo Interamerican Observatory.  Gonzalez is a world-class expert on the astrophysical requirements for planetary habitability.  In 2004, he co-authored (with Jay Richards) The Privileged Planet:  How Our Place in the Cosmos is Designed for Discovery.